Coca-Cola ‘No Sugar’ set to make its debut

The Coca-Cola Company (TCCC) is set to unveil “Coca-Cola No Sugar”, its newest creation this week in Australia. The beverage giant chose Australia because its local franchise, Coca-Cola Amatil has been experiencing declining sales as more Australians opt for less sugar in their drinks due to health concerns.

The soft drinks giant said that “No Sugar” or “Zero Sugar” as it is called in some markets due to local labeling requirements, was the result of five years of development and 15 consumer trials to get the taste of a non-sugar drink as close as possible to the original coke.

“We think [Coke No Sugar] is the closest we have ever come to the classic taste of Coca-Cola,” said Robert Mercade, Coca-Cola Australia President.

Coca-Cola No Sugar was first launched in Mexico in 2016, the country being the beverage giant’s biggest consumers of Coke products in the world. The drink has since been rolled out in other markets such as in France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Ireland, and soon to expand into South Africa.

The introduction of “Coke No Sugar” is part of the company’s efforts to reformulate its products to reduce sugar and appeal to more consumers in the face of backlash and declining sales as more consumers become increasingly health conscious. Coca-Cola sales reached US$41.9bn in 2016, down 10% from 2011 when it hit US$46.5bn.

The first Sugar-Free Coke was unveiled in 1982 with the introduction of Diet Coke. It was soon to be replaced by Coke Zero in 2006. The company plans to gradually phase out Coke Zero as the new “Coke No Sugar” makes its way into the market.